Chronicles of an American Veterinarian, trained in Edinburgh, Scotland, and practicing in South Yorkshire, England.
(Formerly 'A Wee Lass in Auld Reekie')

Thursday, August 13, 2009

An ACTUAL holiday!

After finally finishing EMS, I have been enjoying some well-deserved rest, relaxation, and r... all right I've still been revising for my resit, but I've been having fun in the in-between times.

My first big adventure began when I headed off to Northern Ireland, to visit my friend for a few days. It was quite fun! We explored the town of Omagh, and visited some interesting places like the Ulster American Folk Park, which documents the Irish emmigration to America during the famine, and the Belfast Zoo. I also got to see a sneak preview of Paddy's newly formed band, and then watched Paddy perform in his pub, Bogans. It was definitely an enjoyable trip.

*Irish replica street. Most of the shopfronts were actually taken from the original shops, which is kind of neat.*Replica of a boat that would have taken the emmigrants. After passing through this boat, the rest of the park was set in "America," which was pretty clever.*Downtown Omagh, outside Bogan's Bar*Paddy singing away. For a video of him singing, check out here!*Me at the Zoo!*An awesome lemur. He likes to move it move it.*Giraffes!*The Belfast City Hall, and the Belfast Wheel, which we did not go on, but someday I will.*

After getting back from Ireland, I took a day to just relax and chill out, and then Anik and I began to set out during the day to enjoy the Fringe.

Anik and I, bored one day, decided to head up to the Royal Mile to blend in with the tourists. At first, I found this difficult, because I am not a fan of tourists. I know that sounds harsh, but I cannot stand trying to weave my way through people who are paying no attention to the direction they are going, and who have practically no respect for the city they are visiting. As much as I enjoy the festive atmosphere, I do not like it when people stop suddenly in the middle of the sidewalk to look at something, having to queue in a line going out the door at my favorite cafe, looking at trash everywhere that people think it's okay to throw wherever. And I find it disappointing that the most obnoxious of these tourists are American, and it bothers me when I am assumed to be a tourist because of my accent. I know it sounds rather harsh and certainly not all American tourists are awful, but Americans need to work on their reputation abroad.

Anyway, so during our exploration, we decided on a whim to take an Auld Reekie Tour of Niddry Wynd (also known as the South Bridge Vaults), which is a network of vaults built into the hillside of edinburgh. Inhabited first by merchants, and then later by the homeless and criminal, these vaults are said to be one of the most haunted places in the world. Our tour guide told us tales of gruesome murders, torture, and of a great fire (the Great Conflagration) that sealed hundreds of people within the vaults to be cooked in what became a giant brick oven. The tour ended with a free shot of whiskey and a shortbread cookie. I don't like whiskey, but I took it just for the experience of it and cause it was free, but the shortbread was delicious!

Within the vaults are two interesting things. The first is a modern, working Wiccan temple, which is still used by a modern coven of witches. The Wiccans were allowed to choose any vault they wanted for their temple, and at first they chose a room at one end of the corridor. During one ceremony they inadvertently let in a dark prescence of such destructive force that they vowed never to return again, and moved their temple to the furthest end of the corridor from that vault. To this day they don't even cross over the stairway to that half of the vaults. All that remains is a stone circle which was created to contain the evil prescence. Our tour guide told us that people who stood in the circle would either pass out, be sick, or emerge with scratches or bruises. I, being a sceptic was one of only 2 people to set foot in the circle. I recall feeling slightly uncomfortable and a bit shaky, but other than that, I did not experience anything. Boo. When I did get home later there was a red mark on my leg that sort of very slightly resembled a small handprint (maybe the ghost of a little boy who lost his mother, and reportedly reaches out to blonde women?), but that could also have been many things, like the heat from my laptop, or the mark left after leaning an elbow on my leg.

*The entrance, which supposedly used to be a student flat, and discovered when either a drunk student was thrown against the wall, or a studious student threw a book at a wall, and heard a hollow noise behind it. And, being students, they took a sledgehammer to it and discovered this amazing place.*The torture museum at the entrance holds many authentic artefacts used for ancient torture. This was the "Rats Nest," which was placed on a person, and attached to a box containing a rat, open only on the side that faced the person's chest. The box was heated, and the frantic rat clawed and chewed its way out the only way it could. Yuck!*Anik and I enjoying the gruesome torture tools!*The Wiccan's Temple*Me in the Stone Circle*Anik captured on her camera what appears to be the ghost of a Spanish merchant, who slit the throat of a red-haired woman down in the vault we were in. Creepy!*

We enjoyed the tour so much that Anik and I dragged Anik's cousin Lucie down with us for the 10:30 tour. This tour went much the same, except this time I was the only person to step in the circle, and the tour ended in a free drink in a pub that's cellar is connected to the vaults. Huzzah!

In fact, I loved the experience so much, that when this afternoon I applied for a part-time job as one of these tour guides. Not only would I love to learn more about this fascinating place and its history, but I think it would be really fun to be the one giving the tour and scaring the bejeezes at of tourists! :) I know I said up above that I dislike tourists, but let me clarify that tourists going on a tour are usually a different breed. Usually these tour-goers are interested in the history and culture of the city a bit more than the average tourist. Plus, as a guide I wouldn't be weaving through the tourists, I'd be leading them.. Mwuhahaha!

I'm not sure I'll get it, as typically you have to have a drama background for these things, but hopefully it'll work out! Can you imagine getting paid to do something so sweet!? Plus it would be a nice release to go once or twice a week to have a bit of fun, and usually the busier I am the easier I find it to study, as boredom does not promote good studying habits!

Tomorrow Anik and I have scheduled a tour of Mary King's Close, which is another similar underground city, so keep an eye out for an update on our adventures! :)